More than half of Ohio households that visited a food pantry this spring had someone skip meals in the past year. Among households living with a chronic illness or disability, more than half report having to choose between paying for medicine and paying for food. Those are two of the findings in the 2026 Ohio Hunger Study, which the Ohio Association of Foodbanks released Tuesday to open Hunger Action Month.
The association ran an anonymous electronic survey of people who visited Ohio food pantries and food distributions between April 18 and May 22. More than 2,600 verified responses were analyzed. The association represents Ohio’s 12 Feeding America foodbanks and 3,600 member charities, a network that includes Mid-Ohio Food Collective, the largest food bank in the state.
What the survey found
- 52% of households had at least one member skip meals in the past year. Of those, 59% skipped meals every month.
- 57% chose between paying for utilities and paying for food. Among households with children, it was 65%.
- 76% had at least one member living with a chronic illness or disability.
- Among households with a chronic condition, 53% had to choose between medicine and food at least once in the year.
- Half had at least one member employed in the previous 12 months. In households where no one worked, 48% had a member who could not work because of a disability or illness, 38% were retired and 11% were caring for someone.
- 40% expect to rely on free meals or groceries more often next year. Among households with children, 52% do.
“As Hunger Action Month kicks off, this study reminds us that food insecurity is often a symptom of broader challenges facing families,” said Joree Novotny, the association’s executive director. “Ohio families are visiting food pantries as they work hard to keep up with rising food costs, inflation and other external pressures.”
The release also describes Ashley, an Ashland County mother of four whose husband drives a truck full time. His income puts the family above the cutoff for SNAP benefits, and she said their bills add up to more than he makes. “It can happen to anybody,” she said.
Respondents were asked what they get out of a pantry visit beyond the groceries. 51% named lower stress, 39% said they eat healthier than they otherwise would, and 18% said the food helps them manage an existing health condition.
The picture has not moved much since the association’s last full survey. The 2023 study found 66% of respondents choosing between food and utilities and 55% choosing between food and medicine or health care.
Where to get help in Columbus
Mid-Ohio Food Collective works with more than 600 local charities and programs in 20 counties. Its find-food page takes a ZIP code and returns the closest pantry or distribution, and it lists the eight Mid-Ohio Markets around central Ohio. If you can’t get to a pantry yourself, every Mid-Ohio partner agency has a proxy process that lets someone you trust pick up food for you.
For Ohio State students, Kroger’s Columbus Division and the Monda Student Resource Center are setting up a free Mobile Market popup on the South Oval on Thursday, Sept. 3 from noon to 2 p.m. It previews the items available through the campus Student Food Pantry.
How to help
Columbus Navigator’s guide to donating to food pantries around Columbus lists the area’s food banks and pantries and what each one takes. The association’s site has ways to give and volunteer statewide, and the full 2026 Hunger Study is posted at ohiofoodbanks.org/hungerstudy.
